Last Week, This Week: Animal Of A Different Color – February 26-March 2

The actual phrase is “a horse of a different color” but I’ll stretch on the concept. Back in November, animal prints were the common thread in my daily ensembles in Last Week, This Week: Going Wild so it may seem as though I reused that theme with these outfits. If you tried to point that out to me, I would argue that I had not reused the theme; I’d just given it a different spin. Tomato, potahto.

The difference with the animal print items you’ll see in this post is the background color. In nature, colors play an important role in conveying information about an animal or a plant. In our daily interactions, color can influence our thinking, our actions, and our reactions. They can affect our moods, be used to convey power, and attract or deter attention.

Now I’m wondering if the spots are all from the same animal? Who among us can tell the difference between the spots on a leopard and a cheetah print? And what about jaguar? So here’s a bit of information you didn’t know that you needed on the subject. A leopard’s spots are similar to the rosettes on a jaguar but are smaller and rounder.  The rosettes on a jaguar usually have a center black dot as well.  A cheetah has solid, round, polka-dot-type black spots.  You’re free to do your own Google search if you want more information than that.

Last Week This Week is a look back at what I actually wore last Monday thru Friday as long as it was a workday. I’ve included a brief description of each outfit and if I wore it for a specific event other than a typical workday. Without a specified dress code in my workplace, casual Friday isn’t really an official thing but I usually adhere to it nonetheless.

Monday

While poking around in my closet one day (or at least trying to put things away), I realized that besides having several items with a leopard print, I had them in a variety of colors.  In the wild, there are commonly known several variations like snow leopards and black leopard.  As an inspiration for textiles, a leopard print can be found with a whole host of background colors.

For this first day of the workweek, I opted to go with my snow leopard-inspired skirt that I paired with a corduroy blazer, a black v-neck tee, and black boots.  The skirt and jacket were both thrift store finds.

Tuesday

This sweater is the item that rounded out my leopard wardrobe to five different background colors.  It is a recent Poshmark purchase and this was my first wearing of it.  All of the key items in this outfit (sweater, top, pants, and shoes) are pre-owned.

I’ve seen necklaces paired up and worn this way with a shorter one on the inside the collar and a longer one outside.  I like the results.  Both were bought new, but of course, on sale.

Wednesday

Featured in Shift Dress: Up Down All-Around, the background color of the print here is a bluish-gray (or is that grayish-blue?). With another of my black blazers that’s on regular rotation, black tights, pendant necklace, and my often worn black t-strap pumps, I was ready to take on Wednesday and push through to the second half of the week.  In this outfit, the shoes are the only pre-owned items.

Close up on details of necklace and jacket.

Thursday

The plummy background in my scarf is not a color you’d typically find in the wild but that’s beauty of “inspired by”. This outfit has a lot of pattern mixing, too. Leopard, polka dots, and a twist of marled. I opted for low-heeled boots this day because I knew that I would be doing a bit of walking so I dressed with comfort for doing so in mind. All items in this ensemble were bought new. In fact, the dress is a recent acquisition.

Friday

Last but not least, my leopard pants that have popped up on the blog about a zillion times already. I opted for simple and classic, with a cable-knit pullover, denim jacket, and moto-style boots. Both the denim jacket and the boots are pre-owned items.

Once again, these photos were taken on a “makeup day” this past weekend. Oh, and you probably noticed the new haircut. It was done Thursday night so the effect would have been more dramatic if I’d taken the Monday thru Thursday photos in the office and then new do would have appeared on Friday. Nonetheless, it’s a bit shorter than I like but nearly all of the old color is now gone so that part of the transformation is done. I’ve gotten nothing but compliments on the look (and thank you to those who don’t like it for keeping your thoughts to yourself) and I don’t need to spend nearly as much time on my hair as before. I’ve got a post planned that will look back on this transformation as it has occurred over the past year.  As I bring this post to a close,  there’s a hint as to my theme for this week in the photo below.

And there you have it, a look back at what I wore to work last week.  How do you decide what you will wear to work? Let me clarify … unless you’ve declared yourself to be checked out from any type of routine, anything you do during daylight hours (and sometimes nighttime ones as well) whether or not you get paid for it, I consider that to be your “work” and you should/can be dressed accordingly. And even if you are retired, in whatever manner you’ve enjoyed your day is good enough for me.

Let’s connect! Subscribe, tweet, follow, friend, love, pin … all options are available and waiting for you. I look forward to hearing from you. And there’s still lots of time to join the Fine-Whatever link up in last Saturday’s post, With A Side Of Gingham: Floral Trends.

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